Flying Solo: A Transgender Widow Fights Discrimination – (USA, 2014)

At 92, Robina Asti, a WWII veteran and pilot, tells her story of living as a transgender woman and her fight to be treated like any other widow.

Flying Solo was released in January 2014. Lambda Legal represented Robina Asti after she was denied survivor benefits by the Social Security Administration (SSA) following her husband’s death because it was determined that she was “legally male” at the time of their marriage despite all the legal documents to the contrary. She finally received her benefits on Valentine’s Day after Lambda Legal filed an appeal and advocated on her behalf. In April 2014, after months of advocacy, the SSA updated its policies and procedures regarding the ability of transgender individuals to receive benefits through their spouses.

Filmmaker Bio:
Leslie Von Pless is the Communications and Multimedia Strategist for Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest organization dedicated to advancing the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and individuals living with HIV in the United States. Her short film, “Flying Solo,” was released online in January 2014 and made its film festival debut in May. Since then the film has appeared in festivals throughout the US and internationally, and won the 2014 Grand Jury Award for Documentary Short at Outfest in Los Angeles, CA.Past Screenings